Just A Race
by Leveragelover
Summary: Nate and Sophie have a friendly race and watch the sunset. You could call it fluff with a tougher side of Sophie...


**A/N: This came to me when I was stuck at my dads friends party for the Daytona race. It's a motorcycle race for you people who don't know that. All the motorcycles are Ducati's because my dads friend works for them or something. I kind of forgot to post it since I wrote it after the race and that was on St. Patricks day so here it is! If I get any reviews (please?) requesting another chapter with the actual race I'll try and write one. I got past my writers block for a story I abandoned for two months so I'm catching up on that. (It's my high school de-aged one in case anyone cared.) And now closing this long authors note…I don't own Leverage!**

_Just a race_

Nate tapped his fingers on the conference table unconsciously as Hardison ran through the briefing. He already had the perfect con in mind for Mike Donley.

"I'm thinking the posing rose con"

"What's that?" The three 'kids' asked

"Well each person plays a different part of the rose. The lawyer that the mark puts all their secrets into would be the roots-"

"That's me" Sophie interjected

"Uh, no I had a different part in mind for you." Nate waved her off. "The leaves are the outside sources or the branching off of the subject I guess you could say. I want Eliot to play the leaf and Parker to play the lawyer. The petals are the part that the mark is trying to keep safe, the secrets I guess you could say. The stem is the head of operation, which would be me and Hardison. And then the last-"

"We're double running it?" Hardison cut in

"Well you and I won't be actually coming in contact with the mark and there's no part of the con for just the hacker. But anyways the last part is the thorn, which is the person that gets close to the mark and then 'rips the petals off'. It's a bit like the cuban sandwich"

"It's the Vegas wake up call" Hardison muttered his breath

"Wait so it's different then the cuban sandwich in that there's no hooker that dies?"

Nate smirked a little. "Tell me Hardison, what does Donely own 20 of?"

"Motorcycles" Hardison replied boredly

"Uh-huh, well Sophie you are going to win over the mark that way"

"Oh, okay so I'm selling him motorcycles. Easy"

"No you'll be-"

"Or am I going to try and buy one and show a large amount of knowledge in them?"

"No, you'll be racing a motorcycle"

"Okay"

"Okay? That's all you have to say?" Nate narrowed his eyes at her

"Yeah. We're you expecting me to argue?"

"Uh, yeah actually I was"

Sophie couldn't help but smirk. "Well I'm not"

"Why not?"

"Why would I?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"If all you think I can do is walk around in high heels, short dresses, grift, steal paintings, and be a chocolate whisperer then you are so wrong" Sophie held back a laugh as she looked at all their very confused (and slightly shocked) faces.

"So you're saying you can race a motorcycle?" Hardison asked slowly

Sophie grinned and walked out of the apartment, ignoring the rest of the teams questions.

Sophie pulled her leather jacket on and grabbed her helmet from the rack in the garage. She had four different motorcycles, all of which were Ducati's. The first one was a Diavel Carbon. Second, a Superbike 1199 Panigale S Tricolor. Third being a Monster Diesel. Then lastly a Multistrada 1200 S Sport.

"Hey," She heard Nates sheepish voice come from behind

"Come for a look?" Sophie teased

"Yeah. You have some really nice motorcycles" Nate shoved his hands deep in his pockets and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"All Ducati's" Sophie replied proudly

"That's cool"

Sophie grabbed her gloves and put them on. "What? You don't think I can ride a motorcycle?"

"Now I'm sure you can ride it but I just don't know if you can race it"

"Then why'd you make me the one that had to race in the first place?"

"Well it had to be a female playing the part and I needed Parker to play the lawyer"

"Well then Ford, how about a race if you think you're so good?"

Nate laughed at her thinking that she was better at this then him. "Fine Devereaux let's race"

"1, 2, or 3? The fourth is mine"

"What's the fourth one?" Nate breathed, their lips now a few inches apart

"A Multistrada 1200 S Sport" Sophie ticked the T in sport on purpose

"I'll take number 3 then"

"The Monster Diesel. Nice choice" Sophie whispered, her lips almost close enough to brush against his

"I'm not sure if I should kiss you right now" Nate said bluntly as his eyes flicked over hers

"Not just yet" Sophie leaned in close enough that her lips brushed against his so lightly that it could barely even be called a touch. She pulled away with a wicked grin and then put her helmet on before he could try to steal a kiss. "Helmets are over there"

Nate nodded and grabbed a helmet. He pulled it on with a little bit of difficulty since his head was bigger then hers. "Okay"

Sophie was already on her motorcycle, leaning on her right foot to keep the motorcycle up. "See that old gas station at the very end of the street?"

"...yeah"

"First person to get there wins"

"Seems fair enough but do you know if we're allowed to do this on this road?"

"Psh, who cares"

Nate was about to reply but Sophie cut him off. "I'll leave you in the dust you dirty mother fu-" the rest of her words were lost of the loud roar of the engine.

Nate quickly started the motorcycle and he swore he lost half of his hearing. She vroomed her engine a few times and he knew it was just to intimidate him. Sophie held up three fingers and counted down.

Before he could even blink she was out of the garage and ripping down the road. Nate quickly followed, pushing the gas pedal down more.

Sophie was ahead of him and she looked back at him with a laugh. Nate was close and was trying to get ahead (the diesel engine definitely had the power) She weaved in and out to keep him from passing. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins and she plugged through the last end of the road taking a sharp turn into the old gas station. Dirt kicked up behind the tires creating a huge dust cloud in Nates face. He pulled into the old gas station and got off, his helmet under his arm.

"Well it appears I have met my match" Nate bowed a little

Sophie laughed and threw her helmet into the set of an abandoned red convertible. "You're not to shabby yourself"

Nate smirked proudly. "Why thank you"

Sophie laughed and walked over to the old faded ice cooler on the side of the gas station. She pulled out two beers and handed him one. They walked over to the old convertible and leaned against it. "Surprisingly that thing still works"

He laughed, "so you keep beer in there?"

"Why not?" Sophie shrugged and grabbed her pocketknife from her jacket pocket. She flipped the blade open and used it to pop the cap off her beer.

"Um, can I..." Nate gestured to her knife

"Oh, yeah, sure" She handed it to him and he popped the cap off his own beer. They clinked bottles together in a small toast and took a long drink. Sophie sighed and tapped the bottle with her fingernails, making a light clicking noise. He watched her with a little bit of amusement on his face and a small smile on his face.

"What?" She finally asked, an accusing, yet seductive smile on her face

"You just seem so...at peace" Nate answered half honestly

"I am at peace"

"And you're also beautiful" He added in a soft voice

Sophie blushed at his words and ran her fingers through her hair with slight nervousness. "Oh, uh, thanks"

Nate smiled a little more and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. Sophie blushed even more and she downed more of her beer. The sun was setting off in the distance and it felt almost like those old movies.

"So what do I get for winning the race?"

"Pride"

Sophie rolled her eyes but smiled. "That's really funny! But, seriously what do I get?"

"What do you want?"

"You" Sophie replied seriously

"After we finish our drinks we can ride back and then you...can...have...me"

Sophie nodded. "Seems fair"

Nate smirked and took a sip of his beer. He stared out into the sunset and he started to think. It was a sad conclusion;

_Nothing's ever fair between us _


End file.
